Omnimaga
Omnimaga => News => Topic started by: KermMartian on February 29, 2012, 02:21:26 pm
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Nearly every math student has a programmable calculator in his or her backpack. The TI 83, TI-83+ Silver Edition, TI 84+, and TI-84+ Silver Edition are more than just powerful graphing calculators: they're a great platform for learning to program and for creating your own math and science programs, practical utilities, and even games. A few months ago, I was approached my Manning Publications to write a book about graphing calculator programming. I've completed six of thirteen chapters and two of the appendices, and I'm happy to announce that the first three of the projected thirteen chapters have been released through Manning's MEAP (Early Access) program. MEAP is sort of like Book v0.3 Beta: you can read chapters as I complete them and offer critiques and feedback, and then you get the full print book or eBook when it gets released in Fall 2012. To quote the official copy:
Programming the TI 83+/84+ is an example-filled, hands-on tutorial that introduces students, teachers, and professional users to programming with the TI-83+ and TI-84+ graphing calculators. This fun and easy-to-read book immediately immerses you in your first programs, and guides you concept-by-concept, example-by-example. You'll learn to think like a programmer as you use the TI-BASIC language to design and write your own utilities, games, and math programs. You'll put each new concept into action immediately as you unlock the full potential of your calculator. Along the way, you'll discover tricks to customize, slim down, and speed up your programs, and to learn from the many free programs available on the web.
You would be doing me a great service to join in the MEAP, and I hope that if you don't choose to make the investment and join now, that you will consider buying the book when it's published in the fall! I'm sacrificing sleep and sanity to make this an authoritative book, both for TI-BASIC programmers and for anyone looking to learn to program, so I would be eternally grateful to everyone who participates in the MEAP and offers feedback.
Official webpage: Programming the TI-83+/84+ (http://affiliate.manning.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=1213_289) to buy and participate
Cemetech project page: Links and additional information (http://www.cemetech.net/projects/item.php?id=40)
Edit: Until March 6th, get 50% off with code TI8384 at checkout!
(http://www.cemetech.net/img/book/threedee.png)
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That looks pretty great and I'm glad it's progressing nicely.
Btw I saw this last night but I didn't feel like posting much so this is why I didn't post any news. I immediately bought it, though, and started to read what you have done so far. Hopefully I get more free time again to comment and give suggestions if I have any. :)
Also I was happy to read that the publishing company ships outside United States, so this is the paper copy that I've ordered.
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Wow is this the official cover? EPIC.
Also I would like to join MEAP, how much does it cost?
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DJ_O: Thanks very much! I look forward to any suggestions you might have. aeTIos, yes it is; it's a variation on my original "Vitruvian Calc" concept, and I think much better (for this particular book's audience) than Manning's standard people pictures.
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Yeah, i actually did not like those people pixx. They look er, not really good. And they give a bad impression of the book.
What price?
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Yeah, i actually did not like those people pixx. They look er, not really good. And they give a bad impression of the book.
What price?
Click through! :) It's $23.99 for the MEAP + eBook, or $29.99 for MEAP + print book.
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hmmm. maybe I'll buy it. Maybe not. (give us discount :P (j/k))
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If you translate it in french, I think I'll buy it. That's a good idea to keep a written record of all your experience. Keep it up ! ;)
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So far, this is looing pretty good. I'm helping with the peer review currently, and I've already found a few things that could be fixed or changed. ^_^ But it's looking great so far. ;)
(I'll be sure to keep notes on what I find and sign up for this once I have the money to)
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nice Kerm, maybe i buy later after saving a bit :D
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I guess this finally cements in writing your position as the definitive source of TI-84 knowledge Kerm. :p
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I would love to read it when the price goes down. Would be a great read when I also have the chance
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Hm, I might be interested in reading this book, although I'm not overly interested in BASIC (It's all Axe these days for me :)) Seems like a good place for someone just starting programming tho.
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This looks like it'll be quite the comprehensive guiding book! Shame the world doesn't have many books like this. Good job on the work you've done on it so far, Kerm, and good luck on completing it.
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I am reading it, looks like a pretty good book for perfect beginners, good job Kerm :)
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Jonius and Juju, thanks! Butts, that's the idea: both beginner TI-BASIC programmers and just beginner programmers in general. Krazy: I don't anticipate the price going down, although they might do a one-day sale at one point (but I don't think that covers the print book).
Edit: Wellll, that was unexpected:
"My book, v0.4 Beta! RT @ManningBooks : Programming the TI-83+/84+ (http://bit.ly/8384book) for 50% off! Use code TI8384 at checkout. #cemetech"
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Nice. Btw do they usually make their book with the kind of covers that are hard to bend or is it more standard like most smaller books? In the picture I notice the cover is a bit larger than the paper, which made me think it might be a thick/resistant cover rather than the standard kind, but I wasn't sure. If it's high quality paper+cover, this might explain the higher price. A lot of books with that kind of cover that I've seen at the book store in the past are around $25-60, while standard books are around $10-20. I personally think, however, that just for the large amount of work that went into the book from you, especially considering there are 12 (or 13?) years of calculator learning and experience behind it, that even a $30 kinda seems low to me. Of course the younger students around here might say otherwise due to limited money, but I personally immediately jumped on the purchase occasion even though most of my programming years are behind.
By the way how much percentage do you get from sales? I know some places gives you 100% of the royalties at the cost of making you pay a subscription, while there are others that gives you 85%, but usually it's lower. I just hoped that they were not too greedy and did not perform atrocious things like when you want to sell a CD or T-shirt on Reverbnation. For such thing Reverbnation keeps $15.95 of your sale so if you charge $20 per t-shirt and album, you don't even get $5 of profit O.O, and on iTunes, they keep 40% of your digital album sales.
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I get a very small percentage of the sticker price, but if you think of it in terms of how much is actually profit after what they pay their editors and how much distribution and publishing cost, it's more of a decent percentage (but still nowhere near 100%). The 3D rendering is just my own work; I think it's a standard sturdy soft-cover tech textbook, although it's longer than most.
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Ah ok. Hopefully your work rewards you quite well money-wise. I'm still curious about the book reach outside the TI community when it will come out. I'm thinking it might definitively attract a few people on calc sites eventually.
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wish I could MEAP but, no cash. :( oh well
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Ah ok. Hopefully your work rewards you quite well money-wise. I'm still curious about the book reach outside the TI community when it will come out. I'm thinking it might definitively attract a few people on calc sites eventually.
I seriously doubt I'll make any appreciable sum, but it's nice just to have my work in print and have some larger recognition after so much time in the community, as you said. :)
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Kerm, it's really great that you're using your talent to spread the love of programming to the masses :D Congrats on going on your way to get published :3
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Wait, it's 30 bucks...
AND 50% OFF???
Uhm...
I think most people will just want to go to omnimaga instead... 60 bucks is a lot of money for free knowledge...
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I think what it means is that it's being discounted 50% off from it's retail price of $30, that means you pay $15 for a limited time. :D
Btw, Great job! More publicity for calculator programming! The first chapter is pretty nice.
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Wait, it's 30 bucks...
AND 50% OFF???
Uhm...
I think most people will just want to go to omnimaga instead... 60 bucks is a lot of money for free knowledge...
50% off of $30 is $15, Captain Math. ;) Yes, the calculator community, including TI-BASIC Developer, Cemetech, TIFreakware's tutorials, Omnimaga, and ticalc.org's tutorials are always great resources for reference and real-time help. However, there's never been a thorough, A to Z BASIC tutorial that also introduces general programming and problem-solving skills for students, teachers and professionals alike written, and this work will be that guide.
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Typo acquired:
The calculator will ask you for a name for your new program; you can type HIWORLD
with the keys [^][x
2
][–][8][×][)][x
-1
],the keys over which the letters ‘H’, ‘I’, ‘W’, ‘O’,
‘R’, ‘L’, ‘D’ are written in gree. <--------
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I would like to join the programme but i cant buy D:
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I would like to join the programme but i cant buy D:
You mean the website is still not working for you?
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Seems cool 8D
I'm just surprised by the front cover: using an old TI-83+ is not appropriate, mainly if it's for beginners who just bought their calc in a shop. They will identify their calc and will want to know more about your book (and buy it)..... I think you should use the latest TI-83+/SE/84+/SE and why not the TI-84Pocket if a French translation comes a bit later....
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NeoCrisis the new TI-83+ didn't even changed at all ???
I know in France, the TI-83+ was redesigned in 2007 or something to have a blue color, but in USA and most other English-speaking countries, the TI-83+ design is exactly the same as it was in 1999.
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Huzzah, a one-day 50% off sale for those who missing it the last time around! Use code dotd0312tw at checkout; the link is http://tinyurl.com/8384book .
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I will check if my iPod supports PDF format, to see if I can read the new chapters before getting my comp back.
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You might want to check Adobe Reader in the App Store.
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this looks like it would work:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pdf-reader-lite/id368377690?mt=8